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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly Sonoma State University San Francisco State California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Humboldt State University| California State University Monterey Bay | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Seaside, CA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 6,742 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #835 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csumb.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,413 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,222 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,480 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 81% |
Admission |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,769 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 11,160 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.8% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 8.4% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.45 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 960/1160 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 38% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,300 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $14,000 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $144 | $205 |
Diversity |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 31% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 43% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 5% | 0% | ||
Campus |
CSUMB | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than CSUMB based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 6,742 students)
CSUMB vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CSUMB or UC Merced?
- University of California Merced is 106.1% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($11,834.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 141.8% higher at UC Merced than California State University Monterey Bay ($42,611.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than CSUMB ($13,232 vs. $15,222)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Monterey Bay are 23.6% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($16,413 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than California State University Monterey Bay (81% vs. 73%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 137.3% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($24,868 vs. $10,480)
CSUMB vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CSUMB or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or CSUMB .
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at CSUMB (3.45)
- CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
CSUMB vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CSUMB or UC Merced? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UC Merced and CSUMB.
- The graduation rate at UC Merced is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (58% vs. 38%)
- California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $5,899 lower median federal student loan debt than UC Merced graduates. ($14,000 vs. $19,899)
- CSUMB graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than UC Merced graduates. ($144 vs. $205)
- More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/